Social Studies Lesson Plan
Grade Level/Subject: 4th Grade/Social Studies Topic: End of Civil War
Rationale: It is important that students see the patterns in history so they will not be repeated.
Common Core/Essential Standards Reference: 4.H.1.4. Analyze North Carolina's role in major conflicts and wars from the Pre-Colonial period through Reconstruction.
Behavioral Objective: Students will be able to state the reasoning for the end of the Civil War and explain what reconstruction is and why it is important.
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills: Students should know who fought in the Civil War, where the war took place, and where the two sides were located. Students should know how to write a simple letter.
Materials/Resources: Harcourt Social Studies Book, social studies journals for letters, pencils
Content and Strategies
Focus/Review: I will ask students questions such as, “Who fought in the Civil War? And where did the war take place? Who fought in the Civil War?” to activate their prior knowledge.
Objective (as stated for students): Today, you will be able to tell me who won the Civil War and what reconstruction is and why it was important after the Civil War.
Teacher Input: I will read pages 96 & 97 in Harcourt Social Studies to the students emphasizing the battles of the Civil War and the reconstruction afterwards. I will also place emphasis on important vocabulary words such as “civil” and “reconstruction.”
Guided Practice: While reading, I will ask students to complete “Text Work” on page 96. They will circle the sentence that tells where the largest battle of the North Carolina took place. The will also place Xs on the map showing where the battles in 1862 took place. As part of the Reconstruction section, students will fill in the events on the reconstruction timeline on page 97.
Independent Practice: After the reading is finished, I will have students write a letter home telling whomever what side they fought on, why they were on that side, why the war ended and that they were coming home.
Closure: Students can volunteer to share their letters, if they choose to do so. I will then explain once again that the Confederate leader, Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union leader, Ulysses S. Grant.
Evaluation: Using the students’ letters, I can read through to see if their facts about the war ending and their explanation of the sides were correct.
Correct End of War Reason = 1 point
Correct Side Explanation = 1 point
Statement of Coming Home = 1 point
3 total points possible
Plans for Individual Differences:
For students who do not have the ability to write a letter, they can tell me who won the war and what reconstruction means. For students who may be advanced and finish early, they could draw pictures to go along with their letters.
Rationale: It is important that students see the patterns in history so they will not be repeated.
Common Core/Essential Standards Reference: 4.H.1.4. Analyze North Carolina's role in major conflicts and wars from the Pre-Colonial period through Reconstruction.
Behavioral Objective: Students will be able to state the reasoning for the end of the Civil War and explain what reconstruction is and why it is important.
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills: Students should know who fought in the Civil War, where the war took place, and where the two sides were located. Students should know how to write a simple letter.
Materials/Resources: Harcourt Social Studies Book, social studies journals for letters, pencils
Content and Strategies
Focus/Review: I will ask students questions such as, “Who fought in the Civil War? And where did the war take place? Who fought in the Civil War?” to activate their prior knowledge.
Objective (as stated for students): Today, you will be able to tell me who won the Civil War and what reconstruction is and why it was important after the Civil War.
Teacher Input: I will read pages 96 & 97 in Harcourt Social Studies to the students emphasizing the battles of the Civil War and the reconstruction afterwards. I will also place emphasis on important vocabulary words such as “civil” and “reconstruction.”
Guided Practice: While reading, I will ask students to complete “Text Work” on page 96. They will circle the sentence that tells where the largest battle of the North Carolina took place. The will also place Xs on the map showing where the battles in 1862 took place. As part of the Reconstruction section, students will fill in the events on the reconstruction timeline on page 97.
Independent Practice: After the reading is finished, I will have students write a letter home telling whomever what side they fought on, why they were on that side, why the war ended and that they were coming home.
Closure: Students can volunteer to share their letters, if they choose to do so. I will then explain once again that the Confederate leader, Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union leader, Ulysses S. Grant.
Evaluation: Using the students’ letters, I can read through to see if their facts about the war ending and their explanation of the sides were correct.
Correct End of War Reason = 1 point
Correct Side Explanation = 1 point
Statement of Coming Home = 1 point
3 total points possible
Plans for Individual Differences:
For students who do not have the ability to write a letter, they can tell me who won the war and what reconstruction means. For students who may be advanced and finish early, they could draw pictures to go along with their letters.